


Tell me Toothfully

by MamaBearCat



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Toothache, Wisdom Teeth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28018557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaBearCat/pseuds/MamaBearCat
Summary: My niece just got her wisdom teeth out. And it reminded me that apparently I said some ridiculous stuff after I’d got mine out and was under the influence of some pretty strong painkillers. Cue an inukag oneshot... with all the sweet tooth rotting fluff you can handle. Protective Inuyasha and high as a kite on painkillers Kagome ftw. Previously posted on FFN in Dog Tails, my collection of short InuKag stories.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 25
Kudos: 125





	Tell me Toothfully

Kagome had felt totally fine when she went to bed last night. She’d been a little tired from staying up late to study for her maths test the night before, and then of course Inuyasha had arrived to demand she come back through the well as soon as she’d arrived home. But that had been fine. It was actually refreshing, walking out along the road in the afternoon sun with her friends after being shut in a stuffy classroom all day. They’d set up camp after walking for a few hours, not having any particular leads to follow at the moment, and it had been a lovely evening. 

Inuyasha had complained less than usual about her ‘abandoning’ them to go complete her test, which, wonder of wonders, she thought she’d done okay on. Sango and Miroku had spent the evening in friendly conversation, with only one hand slap breaking the gentle camaraderie around the fire. Shippou had fallen asleep without getting on Inuyasha’s nerves too much, after quickly devouring the lollipop she’d bought back for him as a treat. He had snuggled down next to her as soon as she’d climbed into her sleeping bag, happy that she was back with them. The last thing Kagome had seen before closing her eyes was Inuyasha in the tree above her, the slight glow of his golden eyes in the darkness and the moonlight reflecting off his silver hair. With his comforting presence above her and the rumble of Kirara’s purr in the background, she’d had no trouble drifting off into peaceful dreams. 

But right now, as the sun’s rays tipped just over the horizon, she was in agony. The whole right side of her face was swollen and tender to touch. The pain was so intense that Kagome couldn’t pinpoint where exactly in her mouth it was coming from; it felt like the whole of the right side of her skull was throbbing.

She rolled over gingerly in her sleeping bag to see if the others were awake yet and gasped as the simple movement made the lancing pain in her face flare white hot. Miroku and Sango were still asleep, Kirara curled up close beside Sango. Shippou was still snuggled against her. She couldn’t see Inuyasha anywhere, but that wasn’t unusual – he often went fishing before the others awoke if there was a stream nearby. She sat up gingerly and turned her head towards the direction he’d probably disappeared off to, and a small pained whimper escaped her before she could silence it. Shippou blinked at her sleepily.

“Kagome, you okay?” He stared up at her face in puzzlement, then scrambled up her shoulder to poke gently at her swollen cheek. Even that very slight pressure from Shippou’s tiny finger made tears instantly spring to her eyes and she couldn’t control the pained whine that escaped. She breathed in and out through her nose for a moment, then managed a watery smile.

“M’okay Shippou, don’worry”, she managed. The kit continued to look at her doubtfully with a concerned expression, sniffing as he watched her rifle through her backpack to look for the medical kit. If she could just take some pain relief before Inuyasha got back from wherever he was…

* * *

Inuyasha strode back through the forest, clutching one of Kagome’s useful plastic containers to his chest. It was filled to the brim with cleaned and gutted fish; only small ones, because the stream was really no more than a trickle off a larger tributary, but there were plenty of them and they would cook quickly strung up over the campfire. He grinned as he imagined Kagome’s pleased smile - she loved fish for breakfast, even though he would have been happy with just ramen.

He was looking forward to getting out on the road again. He hated waiting in the village when Kagome was away – it felt stifling and always made him annoyed and irritable. Absolutely nothing to do with the wench being on the other side of the well. Nope. _Then why does it feel so much better when she’s back_?

He discarded that thought with a grunt as he strode back into camp, plonking the container holding the fish off to one side as he stooped to feed the fire with twigs and leaves to get it going again. Shippou bounced over to him, landing noiselessly on his shoulder, his small back paws treading nervously as he tugged on Inuyasha’s ear.

“Kagome smells sick!”

“What?”

His head swung towards Kagome as he gave a few careful sniffs, and there it was. Something was definitely wrong.

“Oi, do ya feel sick?” he questioned, eyes widening as he took in the sight of her swollen reddened cheek. Kagome shook her head vehemently in denial, then whimpered quietly, closing her eyes with a pained expression.

Inuyasha frowned as he made his way over to her sleeping bag, squatting down next to her. He glared at her swollen cheek and sniffed, then snarled quietly when he scented the beginning of a bad infection. His clawed fingers went to her chin, gently tipping her head slightly to the side.

“What the hell happened to you wench?” His expression softened a little as she looked up at him tearfully, and he placed his palm gently against her forehead. She had the beginnings of a fever too.

“Open up, lemme see.” Kagome pressed her lips tightly together and glared at him, even though he could see that holding her mouth like that was painful for her.

Sango, Miroku and Kirara were now awake.

“What’s wrong?” asked Sango, peering over Inuyasha’s shoulder, and she made a small noise of sympathy as she noticed Kagome’s swollen cheek.

“I’m pretty sure Kagome has a rotten tooth, but she’s bein’ a baby about it and won’t show me”, he growled softly. “If it’s bad, it’s gotta come out wench, or otherwise you’ll get really sick!”

Kagome glared at him, her eyes narrowing, despite her pain.

“Si’!”, she hissed, and Inuyasha flinched, his ears flattening as he braced himself in readiness for his face to be pulled earthwards with a solid smack. Nothing happened.

“Keh! Beads don’t work when ya can’t talk properly, huh?” he gloated, baring his own pointed teeth as he grinned at her.

Kagome’s eyes filled with tears, and Inuyasha blinked in alarm.

“Hey, don’t cry about it! I promise, you can sit me as soon as your tooth is out, okay?”

Kagome shook her head slightly, indicating that wasn’t what the tears were for.

“Hur’s”, she whimpered. Her bottom lip trembled as she kept her mouth tightly shut, and she blinked some more tears away.

“C’mon ‘gome, just show me”, he sighed, stroking his fingers lightly over hers where they lay on the sleeping bag, not feeling comfortable with showing any other form of gentleness with the rest of them gathered around. “I’m sorry I called ya a baby. I know how much a rotten tooth can hurt – felt like cryin’ myself when I had one as a pup.”

Miroku chimed in. “I assume you have healers in your own time that can deal with a toothache Kagome?” She nodded carefully. “What if Inuyasha promises that he won’t pull the tooth himself, but will take you back through the well to receive treatment – does that sound fair?”

Sango jabbed Inuyasha in the ribs when he failed to give his agreement; his attention still focused on Kagome’s tearful brown pools of misery, and he winced at the sudden poke to his side. Damn, that woman could be so pointy!

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll take her”, he grunted at Sango, pushing her hand away. He turned his attention back to Kagome. “I promise I won’t pull it – jus’ show me so I know it’s not somethin’ else.” His tone was a lot more gentle than usual; he could read in her scent just how much pain she was in, and he didn’t want to cause her any more distress.

Hesitantly Kagome opened her mouth, whimpering a little at a sudden spike in pain, and Inuyasha wrinkled his nose as the smell of infection increased dramatically. He peered into her mouth, past the other little white teeth to see a slightly blackened tooth growing crooked right at the back, only halfway out and surrounded by reddened swollen flesh.

“Yeah, it’s a bad tooth, right up the back. Let’s get you home wench, your Mama’ll know what to do, right?”

Kagome shut her mouth. “M’sorry”, she whispered, gazing at everyone tearfully. “I jus’ go’ back. An’ now m’goin’ again.” She swallowed as the pain spiked as she tried to talk, and Sango stroked her shoulder reassuringly.

“It’s okay Kagome-chan. We’re less than half a day’s journey from the village. It’s better that this happened now, rather than somewhere far from the well. Inuyasha will take you home, and we’ll wait at Kaede’s until you are healed okay?”

Shippou leaped onto Sango’s shoulder and stroked Kagome’s unswollen cheek hesitantly with tiny fingers. “I’m sorry I hurt you before”, he said softly. “I hope you feel better soon.”

Miroku smiled reassuringly at her. “Don’t worry about us Kagome. I’m sure all will be well. The sooner you leave, the sooner to return, hmm?”

Inuyasha knelt down in front of Kagome with his back to her, indicating she should climb on. “You lot may as well have breakfast before you leave. Don’t waste that fish.” As soon as he felt Kagome had a good grip with her knees and hands, he was off, determined to get her home as quickly as possible.

* * *

Inuyasha grumbled as he sat next to Kagome’s bed, waiting for her and her mother to return. Mama Higurashi had taken one look at her daughter’s swollen face after listening to Inuyasha’s description of the rotten tooth, and had got on the phone to the family dentist. They were in luck; someone had cancelled earlier in the day and she’d managed to secure her daughter an emergency appointment. But they’d been gone for a while now, and he was both worried and bored. A bad combination, because it gave him time to think about… things.

A soft giggle out in the yard alerted him to their return, and he bounded down the stairs as the front door opened.

“Oh good, Inuyasha, you’re still here”, Mama Higurashi panted. “Could you help me get Kagome up to her room please?”

Kagome’s arm was draped over her mother’s shoulder, and she was giggling. As soon as she noticed Inuyasha she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and leaning her full weight against him.

“’n’yasha! I miss' youuuu!”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he felt Kagome rubbing her cheek against his chest, making happy mewling sounds like a kitten. He glanced down at her in alarm, bracing her around her waist with his arm as she staggered slightly and giggled, and then looked back at her mother, his cheeks flushing.

“What’s wrong with her?!”

“She’s fine”, smiled Mama. “She had an impacted wisdom tooth, and another ready to erupt too, so the dentist removed both of them and gave her some strong pain relief. It seems to have made her a little… happy.”

Inuyasha’s eyebrow raised as he looked at Mama Higarashi – that was the fucking understatement of the century. He glanced back down at Kagome, who chose that moment to gaze up at him innocently, a wide grin on her face and her doe-like brown eyes sparkling with joy.

“’ake me ‘oo bed ‘n’yasha”, she cooed, and Inuyasha spluttered in embarrassment.

“Ya what?!” he blustered, averting his eyes from her adoring gaze. He tried to untangle the small fingers clutched about his neck, but she was gripping on like a monkey, her body weight leaning against him like she was suddenly boneless, and he didn’t want to use any force and accidentally hurt her. He could hear Mama Higurashi trying to hide her laughter behind her hand, and he turned his eyes to hers helplessly.

“Why don’t you take her up to her room Inuyasha and get her settled into bed before the pain medication wears off”, she agreed soothingly. “She won’t be able to eat anything solid for a few days, so I’m going to make some soup. I won’t be long.” He heard her burst into laughter as soon as she was safely in the kitchen and he snorted in irritation. Small fingers tugged on the his collar of his kosode.

“I ma' you angry”, Kagome slurred, her bottom lip trembling. “Why’ I make you angry ‘n’yasha? Issa’ why you leave me behin' n’ go see her, ‘cause I make you angry?” Sudden hot tears dribbled down her flushed cheeks, and he was quick to wipe them away with his thumb, one arm hooked around her waist to keep her steady as she clung to him. Fuck.

“You…”, he stuttered, trying to make the right words come, but it was difficult for him to focus when she was looking at him like that, her pain so close to the surface, unfiltered by her usual cheerfulness. “You don’t make me angry wench. You irritate me sometimes, jus’ like I irritate you, but the only time I feel angry at you is when you get yourself hurt ‘cause ya didn’t listen ta me. Okay?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Yay.” The tears evaporated and her smile was blinding. “You’re so pre’ey”, she sighed. “Di’you know your eyes are golden?” Her voice was serious as if she were stating an important fact.

“Fuckin’ hell”, he sighed, scooping her up off her feet and carrying her up the stairs to her bedroom. 

“N’ you’re s’rong”, she cooed as he carried her along the hallway. “Makes my ‘ummy go all funny when you swing your ‘essaiga.” 

He grunted in answer, heat flushing his cheeks. Maybe if he could coax her to go to sleep the medicine would wear off and he’d get his regular Kagome back – he didn’t know how to handle this one.

He walked into her room and held her close to him with one arm while he turned down her coverlet, huffing a little as she snuggled herself against his neck.

“Y’r so warm. You make me feel warm ‘n’yasha.” She made a little ‘ _oof_ ’ noise as he settled her on the bed, then she giggled as he pulled off her shoes then tucked the covers up over her. She grabbed one of his hands, tugging on his fingers, then placed his hand on her chest, pushing his fingers between the gap of her button shirt, directly over her heart. “S’rue. You make me warm here. My hear’ bea’s fr _you_.”

His fingers twitched under hers, no doubt struggling under the same quandary his brain was – he wanted to pull away and run, but at the same time he wanted to keep his hand there, feeling the warmth of her skin forever. He’d dreamed of the moment she might ask him to touch her there, and it was better than he had imagined - so soft and warm, with the pulse of her heart beating strongly against his skin.

He gulped, as his mouth went dry and his own heart rate escalated. If she had said and done this at any other time, he would have taken the chance to act on his driving impulse to caress the delicate flesh directly beneath his fingertips, and lean in to kiss those softly parted lips. But this wasn’t fair. She was looking at him so trustingly, her eyes adoring, but she _wasn’t_ her usual self, and would no doubt be embarrassed by this.

He gently pulled his hand back, entwining his fingers with hers and placing their joined hands down on the top of her pink quilt. He sat down on the edge of the bed, close to her knees underneath the covers, trying to keep a respectful distance between them.

“You need to get some rest Kagome. Time ta sleep, okay?” He patted her legs gently with his other hand, hoping it would soothe her.

“Will you s’ay?” Her eyes were already drooping, and she blinked at him sleepily, as if trying to keep him close by with her gaze alone.

“O’course”, he said a little wistfully, watching as she drifted off.

He wondered if she’d remember any of this. He tucked a stray wisp of hair that had dropped down over her cheek behind her ear, his fingers lingering. A small part of him hoped she would, but the other part, the much larger part that had no trouble informing him that he was a useless worthless hanyou who deserved nothing good, hoped to keep things as they were to save him from certain disappointment. But he couldn’t contain his whispered thought, as soon as he was sure she was asleep. 

“I’ll always stay when ya want me to Kagome." He sighed heavily, almost not wanting to admit it aloud, but unable to lie to himself any longer. "I'll stay, ‘cause my heart beats for you too.”


End file.
